Church launches petition for Welsh Olympic team

Church launches petition for Welsh Olympic team

By staff writers

21 Aug 2008

The campaign for a Welsh team at future Olympic Games has been stepped up with the launch of a national petition on the Welsh Assembly's website.

The petition by Dr Geraint Tudur, general secretary of the Union of Welsh Independent Chapels, says: "We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to ensure that a team from Wales competes in the 2012 Olympic Games, and every subsequent games thereafter."

Dr Tudur renewed the call for national representation on the world stage following the Red Dragon banner ban in Beijing.

The Union of Welsh Independent Chapels had already asked the National Assembly Government to press on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Wales to compete as a nation in its own right in the London Olympics.

The call followed deep unease amongst chapel members about the loss of around £100m in grants to Welsh charities and societies due to the escalating cost of the London 2012 games.

"If you think that Wales has a right to exist as a nation on the world stage, I would urge you to sign this petition," said Dr Geraint Tudur. "The campaign to ensure that our athletes can compete under the Red Dragon in London begins here and now."